


Hazards

by basicallyiwriteshit



Series: Mama's Home [3]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Amnesty, First Meetings, Internalized Homophobia, Other, TAZ Amnesty, The Adventure Zone Amnesty - Freeform, awkward first meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-25 20:43:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21362413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basicallyiwriteshit/pseuds/basicallyiwriteshit
Summary: Madeline Cobb is having car issues, and Barclay Evans is a mess. First meetings don't always go well, and this seems to prove that much.Aka how Barclay and Mama meet
Series: Mama's Home [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1530872
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	Hazards

Madeline Cobb is not weak. She’d worked out with her male classmates in high school, actually able to bench more than some of them, and she could beat up any of the kids that try to pick fights with her. Now well into her 30′s, she works in a male dominated field, and does physical work around the house every day. She’s _strong_.

Madeline isn’t weak, which is why she’s frustrated as hell that she’s struggling to push her truck out of the mud right now. She’s pissed off about needing help more than she is that she’s just had an accident. At least the car’s okay. She’ll be able to drive it if she can get herself out. With a grunt, Madeline leans heavily against the bed of her truck, contemplating which way she’s gonna start walking to look for anyone up this late to use their phone to call a tow truck when she sees headlights. The headlights stop in front of her, and she stands. Grabbing the baseball bat she keeps in the back of her truck, she makes her way to the passenger side of the car that had stopped, and the window rolls down. A scraggly-looking guy, probably about 17 or so, looking concerned. 

“You alright? I seen the hazard lights.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just-- spun out in the snow, ‘n now I‘m stuck.” 

“Need-- Need some help? I’m Barclay, by the way.” 

“Madeline. I’d appreciate it, if you got the time. Ain’t you out past your curfew, kid?” 

Barclay gives a grin and _he’s actually missing a tooth, how is he allowed to drive_? Madeline can see some bruises along his left cheek and eye, and she already wants to protect this kid. 

“Yeah, I am, but my daddy won’t mind none if I tell him I was stuck helping out a lady in need.” Barclay shuts off his car, hopping out, and Mama should be intimidated because he’s easily a foot and a half taller than she is and twice as wide as her, but for some reason she isn’t. She leads Barclay over to the spot she’s stuck in, and he lets out a low whistle. “You’re really stuck. I’ll try my best to help out, but you might need to get a ride home and call in a tow tomorrow.” 

Madeline wants to say, _“well let’s see if a scrawny teenage boy can help me even though I’m probably stronger than you,”_ but she keeps her mouth shut because she’d like to get any help she can. Barclay takes a minute to assess the damage before he looks to Madeline. “Alright. Why don’t you get in the drivers seat and put it in four wheel? I’ll push while you hit the gas.” 

“Right. Sounds good.” Madeline flashes a thumbs up and climbs into the truck, throwing it into four wheel drive and presses on the gas. Her tires spin out for a while, and she can feel Barclay pushing at the rear. After a minute she stops and hops out again, moving around to the back. Barclay’s leaning against the rear bumper, panting heavier than he should be, and Madeline looks at him. “Y’alright?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. You got any, uh-- any sand bags or somethin’ in that truck?” 

“I was only goin’ to the store, didn’t think I needed to worry about rolling my damn truck.” Madeline huffs, crossing her arms. “What time’s it? I’ve been tryna get out for a while, I got people at home probably worryin’ about me.” 

Barclay rolls his sleeve to look at his watch, and Madeline frowns when she sees some bruises that don’t look like normal teenage roughhousing. 

“It’s about eleven thirty, ma’am.” 

“Shit, that long?” Last she looked at a clock was at nine fifteen, and it’s only now that she realizes how long she’s been out in the cold that she realizes how cold she is. “Fuck. I’m not getting out tonight. I’ll have to get some sand or somethin’ in the morning.” 

Barclay follows her back to the cab as she shuts off the hazards and the truck and locks it up. “You need a ride? I can take you back to your place, if you want.” 

Madeline smiles. “That sounds real nice, actually, but I got groceries to carry and I ain’t wanna put you out yer way none.” 

“No, no, it’s fine! I wouldn’t wanna leave you out in the cold like this. I’ve got room in my trunk for the groceries.” 

“Really? Thank you.” Madeline says, shoulders slumping and shifting the bags in her hands. Barclay takes a few and leads her to his car; they put them away, and get in the car. Madeline gives her address, and sees Barclay’s face pale in the moonlit cab of the truck. 

“You’re-- You’re the lady ‘round town that helps out them queer kids.” There’s disgust in Barclay’s voice that surprises Madeline. For a minute there she’d thought he might be queer too. She raises an eyebrow, hand finding the door handle. 

“Is what I do a problem, son? I can get walkin’ if it is.” 

“N- No, ma’am. No problem.” Barclay starts the car and starts towards Madeline’s house. “No problem at all.” 

Madeline nods tersely. She has a feeling that there is a problem, but she’s getting a ride and doesn’t want to be out on the street if he’s really upset. Shame. She really felt like the kid was cool until he got all stiff when he found out her address. He’s probably one of those old bigots’ kid, that’s been fed the same nasty bullshit that’s gone around town about her for the last fifteen years. She’s lucky he’d already offered to give her a ride, or he probably wouldn’t have if he found out her address before. 

The ride is silent and awkward. 

“Well--” 

“Thanks for the ride. You can just unlock the trunk, I’ll grab the groceries myself.” 

“You sure--?” 

“Yeah. No need to get more involved with me than you are already.” Madeline hops out of the car, shutting the door with just a bit more force than necessary. There’s a click from the back and she grabs her bags from the trunk. Barclay has the window rolled down when she passes on her way to the front door; she can see her kids peeking through the blinds, and feels bad for worrying them. 

“Ma’am, I didn’t-- I didn’t mean to offend you. Just surprised me, ‘s all. What yer doin’ is real good.” 

She pauses. 

“...Thank you, son. You have a good night, now.” 

“You too.” Barclay rolls his window up, and Madeline makes her way to the door. She can see him hesitate a moment before he drives off. 

**Author's Note:**

> If it's not clear, Barclay's expressed disgust are not his own thoughts. He's simply dealing with an abusive father who's beat that information in his head, as well as some internalized homophobia. He and Mama won't meet again for 10 years, when Barclay is 28 and his father dies.


End file.
